Perfect World
by Cloud van Dyk
Summary: Bank robber Haruka Tenoh takes Michiru Kaioh hostage during her raid. Soon, the two women find themselves fleeing from Yakuza and Police - and find themselves falling in love...Finished.
1. Hostage

Author's Note: Does anyone know the movie Perfect World with Kevin Costner and Clint Eastwood? I saw it last week and, aww, I cried my eyes out at the ending. Anyway…another new ficcy by me ^_^ Hope you all like it! :-D

Disclaimer: I don't own Haruka and Michiru, they are © Naoko Takeuchi. I also don't own the movie Perfect World, which is © of The Movie People. Don't sue me please, I'm poor and have no money!

Dedication: Dedicated to Gypsy from www.hamena.org, a really cool girl ^_~ You go, Gypsy!

Perfect World

Prologue: Hostage

Michiru Kaioh entered the First National Bank of Tokyo, her wallet in hands, with the intention to get some money from her bank account. She patiently waited in the – rather long – line that had formed itself in front of the bank clerks desk, softly humming to herself. The aqua haired woman didn't notice how the door behind her opened once more and a young blonde man entered; even if she had noticed him, she wouldn't really have cared. The blonde man slowly positioned himself behind her, and all of a sudden, he wrapped one arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him, while he pressed a pretty big revolver against her head with his free hand. "Nobody moves!" he now yelled out while Michiru let out a scared little whimper. "All get down on the floor! Somebody tries something, and she's dead!" The people which were in the bank quickly obeyed the man's orders, all but the clerk who stared at the man in fear. The blonde now pulled Michiru over to the clerk's desk and threw an old backpack on it. "Put the money in it. Now!" The man quickly did what he had been told, stuffing lots of banknotes into the backpack. As soon as it was full, he handed it back to the robber, who still refused to let go of the meanwhile shaking Michiru. "Thanks." The blonde now grumbled, grabbing the backpack and moving towards with door, still with Michiru in his grasp. "Please, let me go." The aqua haired woman now begged, her eyes filling with tears. "Not now. Later." The man whispered into her ear, tightening his grip around her arms. "I won't harm you. Now move on." The two of them moved out of the bank and over to an unmarked black Honda Civic which stood waiting. "Get into the backseat. Hurry!" the bank robber shouted at Michiru while he threateningly waved his gun around to keep the staring bystanders from trying anything. As soon as Michiru had gotten into the car, he climbed in himself, started the engine and drove off. Minutes later, the police arrived at the bank, but both the robber and his hostage where gone. "Damn!" Police Inspector Cloud van Dyk (A/N: Self insertion again! ^_~) angrily cursed, whacking the next best officer over the head in her anger. "He got away. Why did that idiots from the city planning build the bank so far away from the police station?" She looked at the people that stood around looking dumb. "Did anyone see the car he drove off with?" One of the citizens nodded, raising his hand. "I did. It was a black Honda Civic. He had a hostage, did you know that?" "Yes we did!" Inspector van Dyk barked, angered, before she turned to look at the officer she had hit over the head before. "Call all the police cars that are out there, and tell them that we are looking for a black Honda Civic, driven by a blonde man, height 179 cm, weight about 60 kilograms, and his hostage…from whom we have no description." The officer nodded and hurried to his car while Inspector van Dyk lit herself a cigarette and blew a cloud (A/N: *LOL*) of smoke into the sky. "We'll get you, piece of shit." The blonde inspector murmured to herself. "Be sure of that." 

Michiru sat in the back seat of the car her kidnapper drove, her hands tied behind her back – after a quick stop the blonde had made to do that -,  looking at the back of the man's head in fear. "Where are you taking me?" she finally dared to ask. The bank robber didn't respond. "Please." Michiru softly spoke, her eyes filling with tears. "Please, let me go…" The blonde man looked into the rear view mirror to glare at his hostage. "I told you that I won't hurt you. And you can go soon. Now shut up, or I'll shut it for you." Michiru fearfully obeyed her kidnapper and stayed silent for the rest of the drive, staring out of the window, hoping that the police would come and rescue her soon.


	2. Hideaway

Chapter 1: Hideaway

After almost two more hours of driving, the car came to a halt in front of a small house, which laid in a pretty deserted area. The blonde man who had taken Michiru hostage turned the engine off and got out of the car, opening the back door. "Get out." He commanded, his voice sounding tired all of a sudden. Michiru obeyed and got out of the car, which was a little difficult since her hands were tied. Moments before she was completely out, her foot got caught in the seat belt, and she nearly fell. Her kidnapper reacted fast, reached out and grabbed her arms, thus keeping her from landing face first on the ground. "Thanks." The aqua haired girl softly spoke, not daring to look at her kidnapper. He didn't reply, but took a hold of her arm and led her over to the front door of the house. Without letting go of her, the man pulled out a key ring, chose one of the keys and unlocked the door. The two of them entered the house, and the blonde quickly closed it behind him again, locking it and placing the keys back in his pocket. Now, Michiru dared to speak up again. "Can…can you untie me? My wrists are hurting…" The blonde looked at her for a few seconds, obviously deep in thought, before he walked away, into another room, leaving Michiru standing in the hallway on her own. A few minutes later, the man returned, with a knife in his hands. Michiru stared at the weapon in fear, taking a step back when he approached her with it. "Hold still." The blonde mumbled before he used the knife to cut Michirus ties. "Thanks." The aqua haired girl spoke, rubbing her aching wrists. The blonde man mumbled something that wasn't understandable and turned his back on Michiru, walking off towards another room, ordering Michiru to follow him. Slowly, the aqua haired girl walked after him, fearing what would come next. When she saw that the man was walking into his bedroom, she let out a squeal of fear. "No!" Michiru cried out, causing the blonde to turn around and look at her, with surprise in his eyes. "No, please!" The aqua haired girl spun around on her heels and wanted to run out of the room, but one second later a strong hand closed around her wrist, holding her. "Let go of me!" Michiru demanded, spinning around to face her kidnapper and lashed out, her fist contacting with his nose, creating an ugly crunching noise when it hit the bone, though it didn't break. The man yelped in pain and surprise, but refused to let go of his hostage. "Stop!" he shouted when Michiru hit him again, this time punching his stomach. "For God's sake, stop!" Finally, after receiving two more punches into his stomach and face, the man managed to get a hold of Michirus other hand, too. "What do you think I want to do here, rape you?" he shouted, anger in his voice, while blood ran from his nose and his busted lips. "I surely won't do that, I'm a woman, for Heaven's sake!" Michiru stopped struggling immediately and stared at her captor wide-eyed. "You are what?" she then asked, causing the blonde to sigh and let go of her. "I'm female. No balls down here, no dick." She replied, pointing towards her crotch. Before she groaned and carefully touched her nose, groaning again at the contact. "You have quite a punch, lady." The blonde then spoke, wiping the blood off with her sleeve. "I'm sorry." Michiru replied, blushing. "But I thought that you want to…well…" She came to the conclusion that this topic was way too embarrassing for a discussion and decided to change it: "Care to tell me your name?" The blonde stared at her in surprise, at first speechless. Then, she asked: "Why would you want to know my name?" Michiru gave her an odd look. "Listen, you kidnapped me and took me here, and then I nearly broke your nose. I think it's not too surprising if I want to know your name. So, care to tell me?" The blonde let out a huff at the strange behaviour of her hostage and shot back: "You're right. I kidnapped you. Normally you should be shaking with fear, don't you know that?" Michiru gave her a sweet smile. "I can't be shaking in fear when the one who kidnapped me looks as harmless as you do." The blondes eyes went wide again, and she opened and closed her mouth a few times before she found herself able to answer. "Harmless? Hello! I robbed a bank, and I took you hostage! How can you call me harmless?" "You didn't hurt anyone." Michiru replied, her voice soft all of a sudden. "You could have killed everyone who was in the bank, but you didn't. You didn't even threat them." The blonde woman didn't know what to reply, but after a few moments of silence, she spoke up again. "Haruka Tenoh." Michiru gave her a questioning look, and the blonde replied: "Haruka Tenoh. That's my name." Michiru smiled and answered: "Michiru Kaioh. Now that we know each others names, could you maybe get me something to drink? I'm pretty thirsty." Haruka stared and blinked for a moment, then nodded. On her way out, she looked at the aqua haired woman once more and informed her: "You are the strangest hostage ever known", before she left the room. Two minutes later, she returned, carrying a bottle of soda and a glass in one hand and a bottle of Jim Beam Whisky in the other. Handing the soda to Michiru, Haruka kept the whisky for herself, opening the bottle and taking a big gulp from it. Michiru watched her with a frown, but didn't make any comment; instead, she drank down the soda with one long gulp. "Happy now?" Haruka asked, earning a smile and a nod. "Great." The blonde let out a sigh and sat down on the bed, placing the whisky next to her feet on the floor. "You surely want to know when you can go, huh?" she then asked. Michiru nodded, anxiously watching how Haruka pulled the backpack closer to her and emptied it on the bed. A huge amount of bundled money fell out of it; to Michirus surprise, Haruka took two of them and held them out to her. "There. For the trouble you had thanks to me." The aqua haired girl shook her head. "No, keep it. You surely had a reason for the robbery, and besides, I don't need the money." Haruka shrugged and threw the money back to the pile on the bed. "Fine with me." She stood up and motioned Michiru to follow her, leading the aqua haired girl to the front door, unlocking it. "You're free to leave. If you walk down that road, you'll reach a hotel soon. From there, you can call a taxi." Michiru nodded, looking at Haruka one last time before she turned around and left. Before the door closed, she could hear how the blonde mumbled "Have a nice life", then the lock clicked, shutting Michiru out. Slowly, the aqua haired girl started to walk down the road, when her eyes fell on two black cars that came driving towards the house. 


	3. Rescue

Chapter 2: Rescue

Michiru looked at the approaching cars for a second before she decided that she needed to know if they wanted to Haruka and quickly hid behind the bushes that were growing next to the road. The two cars came to a stop, and their doors opened. All in all, six men got out of them, two carrying black briefcases, all of them wearing black suits and dark sunglasses. The tallest of them walked up to the door and knocked, then he pulled out some brass knuckles and put them on – much to Michirus horror. The aqua haired girl had to watch how Haruka opened the door, only to receive a punch into the stomach the very next second. The blonde doubled over, and two of the men stepped forward, grabbing her arms and dragged her back into the house. The remaining four guys followed them inside, slamming the door close behind them. Michiru quickly left her hiding place and hurried over to the door, pressing her ear against it in hope of hearing something. After a few moments of silence, another door slammed, and Michiru hoped that she had guessed the room right when she hurried over to the bedroom window and spied inside. At first she couldn't see Haruka; then she saw that two of the men were tying the blonde to a metal pipe that ran from the ground up the wall and vanished in the ceiling. The guy who had punched Haruka before stood in front of the bed, counting the money that still laid there, then ordered one of his men to pack the cash into the briefcases. He walked over to where Haruka sat tied to the pipe and knelt down in front of her. "Thanks for the cash, Haruka." He spoke, loud enough for Michiru to hear. "You're debt free now…well, almost." He lashed out with his fist, and Michiru closed her eyes and winced when she heard how the brass knuckled connected with Harukas face and body several times. When the man finally stopped beating the blonde, she was near unconsciousness, with blood running down her face and staining her clothes. Michiru dared to open her eyes again, and she watched how the guy who had beaten Haruka first pulled out a white cloth. He first wiped the blood from his brass knuckles, then knelt down again and tied the cloth between Harukas teeth. "The only thing you own us now is your life." The man spoke, smiling, before he gestured towards the men he had brought with him. Two of them followed him out, carrying the briefcases that contained the money Haruka had stolen from the bank. The remaining three men left the room for a second, then returned with odd silver canisters in their hands. Michiru realized with horror what they intended to do when they started to empty them on the floor, and the sharp stench of gas filled the air. "They'll burn the house down." Michiru whispered to herself, her eyes widening in shock. "They'll burn the house down…and they'll leave Haruka inside there to die!" Inside, the blonde groaned behind the gag, weakly struggling against the rope that held her. The last guy moved out of the room, creating a trail of gas on his way out, ending it at the front door. Michiru sneaked around the house until she could see the men, but was sure that they couldn't see her. The leader guy pulled out an expensive Zippo lighter and knelt down next to the trail of gas that ended at the front door. The Zippo clicked, and seconds later, the man held it close to the gas until it caught fire. "Mission done. Let's get moving." He then ordered. The six men got into their cars and drove off, while the fire burned towards the closed bedroom door. Michiru waited until the men were out of sight, then she stormed into the house without caring about the heat of the flames that surrounded her. She pushed the bedroom door open and burst in, desperate to reach Haruka before the fire did. "Haruka!" she called out. The blonde looked up, her eyes clearly showing the pain she was in, and groaned behind the cloth between her teeth. Michiru started to work on the rope that held the blondes wrists behind the pipe, and soon Haruka was free from her ties. "Come on, we have to get out of here." Michiru spoke into her ear while putting one arm around the blondes waist. Haruka pulled the gag from her mouth, and the two of them made their way through the flaming rooms, out of the house. As soon as they were save, Haruka sank into the grass, where she laid, coughing and shaking. "Are you okay?" Michiru asked, worried. "Haruka, can you stand up?" Haruka nodded and sat up, holding her head in the process. "Thanks for getting me out of there." She then spoke, looking at the aqua haired girl. "Don't mention it." Michiru replied, smiling. The two women looked at the burning house for a while, then Haruka came to her feet. "I have to get away from here. If they find out that I still live, they'll come back." "Who are they?" Michiru asked, looking at Harukas bloodied face in worry. "Better if you don't know it." The blonde replied, already walking over to her car. "Like I said, if you follow that road, you'll…" "Now don't tell me that you want to go alone." Michiru interrupted her, anger in her voice. "You think that at first I let you take me hostage, then save your butt in there, and then I'll let you go alone?" Haruka gaped at her, shocked. "You want to come with me?" she then asked. Michiru just nodded, not giving any explanation, though Haruka felt that there was a reason for the aqua haired girls need to leave with her. "No way." The blonde finally said. "Do you think I want the police to chase me for kidnapping?" "They are chasing you already anyway." Michiru replied, shrugging. "So it doesn't matter much." Haruka just opened her mouth to say something when all of a sudden the howling of sirens could be heard in the far distance. The blonde shut her mouth again and stared at Michiru in shock, both of them recognizing the noise: police cars. With one motion, both women started towards the car, Michiru taking a seat in the passenger's seat while Haruka positioned herself behind the steering wheel. She turned the ignition key and sped off, away from her burning house and the sirens. 


	4. Confession

Chapter 3: Confession

„I can't believe I'm actually doing that." Haruka mumbled to herself while she kept driving down the road, hoping that the policemen wouldn't get the idea to follow them. Michiru shot her an odd look. "Doing what?" the aqua haired girl finally asked. "Taking you with me." The blonde replied, glaring at her. "I should stop right here and now and throw you out." "I'm hurt." Michiru sulked. "Why would you want to throw me out?" Haruka glared at her, flames in her eyes. "Hello! Earth to Michiru! You're sitting here with a bank robber who kidnapped you, for Heaven's sake! And who, as if that wouldn't be enough, is also wanted dead from the Yakuza." The blonde added after a few moments of silence. "Why are they trying to kill you?" Michiru asked, not bothering to make any comment about the other things Haruka had said. "None of your business." The blonde replied, her voice not all too friendly. Michiru went into sulking mode again, but that didn't really impress the other one. "Aww, come on, tell me!" the aqua haired girl begged after a few moments of silence. Haruka just shook her head and pretended that she was concentrating on the road too hard for talking. Sighing, Michiru decided to leave the blonde alone for now and turned the radio on. Static noises emerged from it, and she frowned before she started to search for one of the countless radio stations Japan had. After almost two minutes, she found one of them, just in time to hear the news. "…as Police Inspector Cloud van Dyk just informed us, the bank robber escaped with his hostage and is now probably leaving town. Here's a description of the man…" Haruka stared at the radio in horror, her eyes so big that they nearly fell out of their sockets. "Great!" she then groaned, covering her eyes with one hand – much to Michirus horror. "Oh my God, oh my God, look on the street!" she cried out, causing the other woman to take her hand away again and concentrate on the road once more. "Now the whole fucking country knows what I look like!" the blonde complained while stepping down on the gas pedal harder, increasing the speed of the car. Michiru quickly put her seatbelt on while she kept a fearful eye on the tachometer. Slowly, the needle which marked the current speed reached the number 100, causing the aqua haired girl to become even more nervous. "Haruka, please slow down a little bit." She begged, but the blonde simply ignored her and hit the gas pedal even harder, soon going with more then 120 miles per hour. Michiru cringed in her seat, clinging to her seatbelt as if her life would depend on it. "Stop worrying." Haruka mumbled, shooting a short glance over to the aqua haired girl. "I know what I'm doing." "You're driving way too fast!" Michiru shot back, her eyes still glued to the tachometer. "We'll crash if you continue like that." "Nope. I used to be a racer, I know how to drive at high speed." Haruka replied. When Michiru didn't say anything, the blonde looked over to her for a second, only to find out – much to her amusement – that Michiru stared at her wide-eyed and with her mouth hanging open. "I knew that I have heard your name before!" the aqua haired girl suddenly cried out, scaring Haruka to no-end. "For God's sake, woman, don't scream like that!" the blonde yelled angered as soon as she had calmed down a little again. Michiru gave her a sheepish little grin before she explained her outburst: "You were the number one racer of Japan, right? That's why your name sounded so familiar to me." Haruka shrugged and nodded. "Yep, true." Michiru gave her another odd look. "And then you quit. Because of …" "Because of the fact that someone smuggled cocaine into my locker." Haruka interrupted her. "I never did that stuff. _Never. _Understand?" That sudden outburst shocked Michiru, and she stared at Haruka for a while before she asked: "So…you want to say that somebody tricked you, right?" Receiving a nod as an answer didn't satisfy the aqua haired girl. "And you have no clue who?" Haruka shook her head, sighing. "It doesn't matter anymore. The cocaine they found was enough proof for them that I was a drug addict, and that ended my career." The blonde let out another sigh and stopped talking, thinking that the topic was finished with her last statement, but Michiru shocked her again when she asked another unexpected question. "And after the end of your career you started to drink, right? You're an alcoholic." Haruka hit the break pedal so hard that the tires produced an ugly screeching noise before the car stood still, in the middle of the street. "What makes you think that?" she barked, glaring at her companion with fire in her eyes. Michiru gave her an understanding look. "The glint in your eyes when you brought the whisky bottle into the bedroom. And the way you drank from it. My father was an alcoholic when I was born, I recognize one when I see one. All alcoholics have one thing in common, they have a pretty well trained technique of drinking directly from a bottle." Haruka didn't make any comment; she just stared at the steering wheel, her hands shaking. "You're right." The blonde finally spoke, lifting her gaze to look into Michirus eyes. "I'm an alcoholic." After her confession, she let out a short bitter laugh. "An unemployed alcoholic who spends his days with drinking, watching TV, drinking, and robbing banks. Oh, and did I mention drinking?" Michiru reached out and gently took the blondes hand into hers, causing Haruka to give her a surprised look. "Don't talk about yourself like that." The aqua haired girl softly spoke. "You're more than that." Haruka just snorted at that and turned on the engine again, which had died off after her unexpected brake hit. "You don't know me too well, do you?" the blonde spoke while the car slowly drove on again. "So stop trying to tell me that I'm more than what I am." Michiru stayed silent; she just leaned back in her seat, with a hurt expression in her eyes. 


	5. First Kill

Chapter 4: First Kill

Haruka looked into her empty wallet, letting out a sigh at the obvious lack of money. Next to her, Michiru checked her own amount of cash, only to find out that she also wasn't too rich. "We have no money." Haruka grumbled, throwing her wallet behind her, causing it to land on the backseat of the car. "And as long as we don't have cash, we can't drive on. The tank is almost empty." Michiru sighed and nodded. "You're right. What shall we do?" Suddenly, Harukas eyes showed an odd glint while she looked at the shop that belonged to the gas station where the two women had stopped. "You start filling the tank." She spoke, looking at Michiru while she reached under her seat and pulled the gun out she had used to rob the bank. "I'll take care of the rest." "You want to rob the gas station?" Michiru cried out, shocked. Haruka glared at her, nodding. "Yes, exactly. Otherwise we can't go on." "Good, then let me go now." Michiru suddenly demanded, coming to the conclusion that she was far away enough now from Tokyo. To her horror, Haruka shook her head. "Sorry, but I can't let you go anymore. To the police, you're still my hostage, remember?" Michiru gave her a fearful look, suddenly thinking that maybe coming with Haruka hadn't been such a good idea. Her worries were confirmed when Haruka pulled a pair of handcuffs from the back pocket of her jeans. "Sorry, Michiru, but it won't work otherwise." The blonde mumbled while she grabbed Michirus wrist and chained the aqua haired girl to the handle that was mounted to the door. "What are you doing?" Michiru cried out. "Let me go!" Haruka ignored her and got out of the car. She started to fill the tank, keeping an eye on her hostage all the time. When she was done filling, the blonde walked over into the shop where regular customers paid their gas. She stopped in front of the cashier's desk and coughed to get his attention. "Yes, Mister?" the guy spoke, looking up – directly into the barrel of a gun. "Your money." Haruka growled at the shaking man. "All of it. Now!" Quickly, the man opened the cassia and started to stuff the money it contended into a plastic bag. He handed it over to Haruka, who took it with a sly grin. "Thanks a lot, pal." The blonde spoke before she turned around to leave. She heard how the man rummaged around behind his desk, and then an all to known clicking noise sounded through the shop. Haruka spun around just in time to see how the cashier aimed the heavy shot gun at her, and she realized that he would shoot any moment…if she was too slow. The blonde wasn't. With one fluid motion, she brought her own gun up and pulled the trigger. Seconds later, the man fell from his chair, bleeding from the bullet wound in his chest. Haruka hurried over to him, shocked at what she had done. She knelt down next to the guy, feeling for a pulse. Nothing. Haruka felt a wave of nausea coming over her, and moments later, the blonde vomited on the ground. Finally, after a seemingly endless period of time, Haruka managed to get to her feet again. She took the shotgun from the dead man's hands, then, after a short moment of thinking, also grabbed two bottles of whisky, stuffing them into the bag that already contained the money. After one last look at the man she had killed, Haruka turned around and left the shop, heading over to the car where Michiru still sat, waiting for her.

"What happened in there?" the aqua haired girl demanded to know as soon as Haruka entered the car and closed the door. "I heard a shot, what happened?" "Nothing." Haruka replied while opening one of the two bottles she had brought and taking a big gulp. "Nothing, huh? Then how come that you left the shop with a shotgun you hadn't had when you entered?" Michiru shot back. "I said nothing happened!" Haruka suddenly barked at her, causing her to flinch. "You killed him, right?" the aqua haired girl finally asked, her voice so soft that it was almost inaudible. Haruka didn't answer; instead she started the car and drove off, away from the gas station. "Answer me, Haruka!" Michiru demanded, anger in her voice. "Did you kill him?" "Yes!" Haruka suddenly shouted at her, a suspicious glint in her eyes. "Yes, I killed him! I had no choice, for Heaven's sake!" The blonde let out a shaky breath, and that was when Michiru realized that she was close to crying. "He would have killed me if I hadn't shot first." Haruka now whispered, looking at Michiru with a silent plea for understanding in her eyes. "I had no choice…" Slowly, Michiru reached out, and put a gentle hand on the blondes shoulder. "I know, Haruka." She softly spoke, and that made Harukas dam break. Without creating any noise, the blonde started to cry; the tears just ran down her face while Michiru gently stroke her back, trying to calm her down.

"Inspector! Inspector!" Inspector van Dyk looked up from the ruins of the house where the bank robber and his hostage had been before, only to find herself face to face with a young police officer who waved around a piece of paper. "What is it?" the inspector asked, impatience in her voice, while she started to dig through  her clothes until she found the pack of cigarettes. "We just got a call from a gas station, in the outskirts of Tokyo." The young officer panted, practically shoving the piece of paper he held into the inspector's face. "A customer called us after he wanted to pay his gas filling. He found the cashier of the station dead, and all the money was gone. Think this is our man?" Cloud nodded. "Pretty sure." She took the piece of paper and quickly read it through before she yelled: "Everyone, into the cars! We have a hot track!" While the police officers obeyed her command, the inspector stuffed the paper into the pocket of her coat, smiling. "We'll soon get you, pal." She mumbled to herself, grinning. "Be sure of that." 


	6. Dangerous Addiction

Chapter 5: Dangerous Addiction

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Haruka calmed down again and found herself able to drive on. The two women continued their way, with Michiru still chained to the door, much to her discomfort. "Hey, Haruka." She finally spoke after almost ten minutes of driving in silence, "can't you take that thing here", she shook her chained wrist for emphasis, "off again?" Haruka seemed to consider that for a while, then nodded. She stopped the car once more and dug out the small key that unlocked the handcuffs, freeing Michiru from the door. "Thanks." The aqua haired girl spoke, smiling. "No tricks." Haruka warned her while she searched for something at her feet. Michiru frowned at the blondes actions, and her frown deepened when Haruka finally found the object of the desire: one of the whisky bottles she had stolen from the gas station. "You really shouldn't drink and drive." The aqua haired girl scolded, earning an angered glare from Haruka. "Why should you care?" the blonde then asked while she held the bottle between her legs and opened it with one hand. "Maybe because I'm here in the same car with you?" Michiru reminded her, though that didn't really impress the blonde. "You're not chained anymore. You're free to leave." Haruka replied before lifting the bottle to her lips and taking a big gulp from it. She burped, then offered the whisky to her companion. "Want some, too?" Michiru shook her head before she spoke: "You really should stop drinking, Haruka." The blonde let out a snort. "Easier said than done." She then mumbled, raising the bottle to her lips, with the intention to take another gulp. All of a sudden, Michiru snatched it from her hands, and before Haruka knew what happened, the aqua haired girl had thrown the whisky out of the window. "Are you crazy?" Haruka cried out as soon as she realized what her companion had done. Without bothering to answer the blondes question, Michiru grabbed the second bottle Haruka had stolen, and caused it to join it's relative on the street. "You _are crazy." Haruka mumbled, dumbfounded. "Well", Michiru replied, "if you think that helping you is crazy, I guess I am." The blonde just shook her head, her eyes glued to the rear view mirror where the sad remains of her alcohol could be seen, and stepped down on the gas pedal harder, speeding away._

Two hours later, Michiru regretted that she had thrown the whisky bottles out of the window. She had forgotten one pretty important thing about alcoholics on withdrawal, but now she remembered. Mostly her memory came back because Haruka was sitting on the bed of the hotel room the two had rented, and her hands shook so badly that she could barely hold the glass of water Michiru had given her. _"At first they get shaky, and then they get aggressive. Always remember that , my dear." _Michiru heard her mother's voice in her mind. The aqua haired girl had been living with an alcoholic for almost twenty years, and now she wondered how she could have forgotten that rule. And she feared the moment when Harukas shakiness would vanish and would turn into aggression. "Get me something to drink." Haruka now grumbled, looking at the aqua haired girl with fire in her eyes. _"At this instant!"Michiru, who knew that if she would obey Haruka now, the blonde would never stop drinking, shook her head. The very next second, she found herself with her back against the wall and Harukas hand at her throat. "I said, get…me…something…to…drink." The blonde repeated, her grip around the aqua haired girls throat tightening, making her unable to breath. "Haruka…" Michiru wheezed, desperately trying to get some air into her lungs, "you're hurting me…" For one more terrible moment, the steel-like grip around her throat continued, then Haruka suddenly let go of her and took one step back. "I'll hurt you even worse if you don't get me something to drink." The blonde threatened, not knowing what disaster she caused with her words. All of a sudden, and much to Harukas shock, Michiru stepped forward and pushed her so hard that she fell, landing on her butt. "You think you can scare me?" the aqua haired girl now yelled at the still stunned Haruka, with fire in her eyes – and tears, which shocked the blonde even more. "You really think that? You can't, Haruka, not after what I went through thanks to my father! I'll show you something scary!" And with that, Michiru pulled her sleeve back, exposing a long scar that ran from her elbow down her forearm, ending at her wrist. Haruka had to swallow a few times before she found herself able to speak. "What…how did you get that?" "My father pushed me, just like I pushed you. But you didn't fall into a desk with glass surface like I did." Michiru made a short pause to look at Haruka, with the anger vanished from her eyes. The tears, though, remained. "He did that to me when I refused to get him something to drink." A single tear fell from her eye and ran down her cheek while Haruka stared at her, feeling like a piece of shit. "I'm sorry." The blonde now softly spoke while coming to her feet again. "I'm so sorry…" She slowly stepped closer to the aqua haired girl, looking down on her before placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. Michiru looked up at her, her bottom lip quivering. "Hey, don't cry." Haruka whispered, pulling the aqua haired girl into a comforting embrace. Michiru let out a strangled sob and buried her face in the taller woman's chest, her tears soon staining Harukas shirt. "That's why you wanted to come with me so badly, right?" Haruka now asked while she gently stroke the crying woman's back. "To get away from your father." Michiru nodded, still sobbing, and Haruka closed her eyes for a second. "Now that's what I call irony." She then mumbled. "You run away from an alcoholic…and end up getting kidnapped by another one, who isn't much better." Suddenly, Michiru pulled back and looked at the blonde, shaking her head. "No, Haruka. You're not like him." "What makes you so sure about that?" Haruka replied, her voice shaking all of a sudden. "What makes you stay with me anyway? I'm nothing more than an alcoholic without a job, and without any abilities besides racing…I'm just a big looser." The last five words were spoken so softly that they were almost inaudible, but since Michiru stood pretty close to Haruka, she heard them. "You're not." The aqua haired girl now spoke, taking the taller woman's hand into hers. "It's not your fault that your career ended. I believe you when you say that somebody smuggled the cocaine into your locker, and that you never took that stuff. You're not a looser, Haruka, you're a victim of some big asshole who couldn't cope with the fact that a woman races better than him." Haruka just sighed and shrugged. "It doesn't matter anymore anyway…the only thing that matters now is, can you forgive me what I did before?" "I already did." Michiru replied, her thumb gently stroking the back of Harukas hand. "Thanks." Haruka softly spoke, looking downward, her eyes meeting those of the smaller woman. For one second, the air between them seemed to be full of sparks, then Haruka coughed, looked away and broke the eye contact. "I suggest we get to bed." She mumbled, making a vague gesture towards the double bed that stood in the middle of the room. Michiru nodded, feeling quite odd after the short eye contact with Haruka, and without talking anymore, the two women undressed and both climbed into bed. Soon, they were fast asleep, not knowing that the police was only four kilometres away. _


	7. Hotel Showdown

Chapter 6: Hotel Showdown

The next morning, Michiru awoke to the sound of the shower running. She groggily sat up in the covers and rubbed her eyes before she climbed out of the bed and walked over to the bathroom door, knocking. "Haruka?" she then called out, patiently waiting for an answer. "Yes?" the blondes low, husky voice soon came while the sound of running water stopped. Moments later the door opened, exposing Haruka wearing one of the hotel's bathrobes – which was twenty centimeters too short for her. Michiru giggled at the sight, earning a glare from the blonde, before she explained her need: "Are you done yet? I wanna take a shower too." Haruka nodded before she shook her head, causing her short hair to fall back into it's natural position. Michiru entered the bathroom, locking the door behind her, and stepped into the shower. Soon, the warm water ran down her body, and while the aqua haired girl cleaned herself, she remembered the things that had happened the night before. She especially recalled one event: the short, but wonderful moment where she had been looking into Harukas eyes. Surprised, Michiru had to notice that her stomach started to flutter when she thought about looking into the taller woman's eyes. _"Now what's that supposed to mean?" _the aqua haired woman thought to herself, frowning. _"It's not like I'm in love with her or something…right?"_ Before she could go any further with her musings, she could hear how somebody knocked against the bathroom door. "Did you drown in there, or what?" Harukas voice came seconds later. "I'll be done any minute!" Michiru called back, turning off the water and stepping out of the shower. She put on the second bathrobe, which – unlike Harukas – fit her perfectly and reached for the doorknob when she suddenly heard a loud banging noise coming from the other room. And seconds later, Haruka let out a scream.

Later, Michiru was surprised about herself. The normally shy and sometimes even fearful girl vanished within the moment she heard the blonde scream in what sounded like pain, only to be replaced with another Michiru, a Michiru that didn't know the word fear. She pushed the bathroom door open and stormed into the other room, finding Haruka on the ground, holding her shoulder, and four policemen, lead by a tall woman with short, spiky blonde hair. Who now aimed her gun at Haruka.

"Don't move!" Inspector van Dyk bellowed, before she looked at the woman who was obviously the one who had been taken hostage. "We'll get you out of here. You're save now." The woman smiled and nodded, walking past the hurt bank robber, who stared at her in shock, and over to the inspector, who lowered her gun to look less threatening. 

Michiru walked over to the police inspector, a wicked plan forming in her mind. As soon as she was close enough, she made her idea reality – by ramming her knee up, into the inspector's stomach. Letting out a gasp, the blonde woman doubled over, while Michirus hand shot down and wrestled the gun from the inspectors grip. With one fluid motion, the aqua haired girl moved backwards until she stood next to Haruka and brought her gun up, aiming it at the police inspector. "You okay, Haruka?" she asked, shooting a short glance at the blonde – who knelt on the ground, staring at her with her mouth hanging open. "Why you little…" the inspector now grumbled, slowly recovering from the blow she had received. "Gimme my gun back!" "Dream on." Michiru coldly replied, not lowering the weapon. "Hello!" the inspector bellowed, anger in her voice. "You're the hostage here! You are supposed to be scared and waiting for us to save you! Remember?" Michiru raised both eyebrows at that odd statement, for one second wondering how that woman made it to the rank of an inspector, before she shot back: "Maybe I don't want anyone to save me. Ever thought of that?" The inspector let out a sigh. "What is this, did I stumble into a comedy movie and no one told me? Did that guy brainwash you, or what?" "I'm not a guy!" Haruka threw in, but the police people simply ignored her. "You'll let us go now." Michiru demanded, threateningly waving the gun around. "Or I'll kill all of you!" "I'm afraid that we have no choice." One of the police officers spoke, earning a glare from the inspector. Before the woman let out a sigh and nodded. "Alright. You can leave…for now. But don't think that we won't keep chasing you!" Michiru just snorted at that while she waited for Haruka to get up, then the two women slowly moved towards the door, with the aqua haired girl aiming the gun at the inspector all the time. As soon as they were through the door, Haruka yelled out "Run!" and the two women started to speed down the hallway, with the five police people right behind them. Michiru pushed the door that led to the stairway open, and sped down the stairs, Haruka following her – leaving a trail of blood on the gray tiles. The aqua haired girl was the first to arrive at the exit, but when she tried open it, it was locked. "Get outta the way!" Haruka screamed behind her, and Michiru quickly moved to the side. Haruka threw herself against the door with all the speed she could bring up, and it flew open. The blonde landed on the hotel's car park, hitting the asphalt with a groan, while Michiru stormed out and threw the door close behind her, hearing the lock click when it closed again. Seconds later, the police people banged against it in frustration. "On to the car." Haruka panted, holding her shoulder again, with blood seeping through her fingers. Michiru shot her a concerned look, but the blonde just shook her head. "Worry about me later, now we have to get away." The aqua haired girl nodded, and the two women ran over to where their car was parked. They quickly climbed in, Haruka started the engine and drove off – just in time, since the police managed to break the door open once more and came running out of the building. All the five people saw was the back of Harukas car, speeding away. "Damn!" Inspector van Dyk cursed, slamming her fist against the traitorous door in frustration. Before she yelled out: "Into the cars! Quick!" 

"And you are sure that they won't find us here?" Michiru asked while she looked around, frowning. Haruka shook her head. "They'll assume that we continued driving down the street. No one will come up with the idea that we entered the forest." Michiru giggled when she remembered the police inspector. "Now that was an odd cop." She then spoke. Haruka chuckled and nodded before she imitated the woman: "Did I stumble into a comedy movie and no one told me?" Michiru giggled again – then she remembered that Haruka had been bleeding before. "Haruka, what happened to your shoulder?" she asked, getting serious all of a sudden again. Haruka shrugged and gritted her teeth afterwards. "Nothing too bad." She then spoke. "The cops broke the door open with one of those ram thingies they have, and one of the splinters dug into my shoulder. It's just a scratch." "Let me look at it." Michiru demanded, causing Haruka to blush – much to the aqua haired girls amusement. "You want to look at it? That would mean that I have to undress." The blonde mumbled. Michiru sighed and  nodded. "Exactly. Got a problem with that?" Haruka gulped, and Michiru giggled at the expression of utter helplessness on her face. "Don't make such a drama out of this. Do you think I've never seen a naked woman before?" Now Haruka was totally flabbergasted, and _that _caused Michiru to crack up completely. 


	8. Growing Feelings

Chapter 7: Growing Feelings

„…and then that crazy woman kicked me into the stomach, took my gun and helped her kidnapper to escape! Can you believe that?" Inspector van Dyk raged, earning a sympathetic look from the police psychologist, Setsuna Meioh. "Well, I guess the hostage is suffering from the Stockholm Syndrome." She then spoke. Inspector van Dyk gaped at her. "From the _what?" she then asked, frowning. "The Stockholm Syndrome." Setsuna replied patiently. "It means that she either fell for her kidnapper, or that she started to identify herself with him." "You mean, there are people who fall in love with the ones who kidnap them?" Inspector van Dyk repeated, her eyes widening. "But hey! The kidnapper mentioned that he…pardon, that she is female. That would mean…" The inspector started to daydream, and Setsuna let out a sigh. "Whatever!" she then interrupted the inspector's fantasies, causing the blonde woman to let out a sigh. "We have to find them as soon as possible." The psychologist spoke, her voice clearly showing that she meant every word she said. "Oh, we will find them." Inspector van Dyk replied, dark clouds appearing over her head. "Be sure of that, we will find them." _

"There, all done." Michiru spoke, leaned back and admired her handwork. Haruka looked down on the bandage Michiru had wrapped around her shoulder, where the splinter had dug into her flesh, then gave the aqua haired girl a lopsided smile. "Thanks." Michiru smiled back. "Anytime, Haruka." The two women sat next to their car in the grass for a while, just grinning at each other, then Haruka stood up. "We should get moving again. Maybe that inspector isn't so dumb after all and comes up with the idea that we went here." Michiru nodded and also got to her feet. The two of them climbed into the car, and Haruka started the engine. "There's just one more thing I'd like to know." The blonde spoke while she started to drive down the small path that led through the forest. "And what would that be?" Michiru asked, looking at the blonde curiously. "Why did you help me out back there in the hotel?" Haruka asked, shooting her a short look. "I mean, I know that you want to get away from your father, but you look old enough to move out. And the police would never come up with the idea to blame you for anything, after all, you were kidnapped. So, why?" Michiru blushed deeply when she answered the blondes question. "Because I like you, Haruka. And I trust you that you won't hurt me." Now, Haruka blushed too, and she coughed before she replied: "Well…thanks. You know, I kind of like you too." Michiru beamed at her companion, making her chuckle. "Now, now, stop grinning like that. You look as if you just won in the lottery." Michiru giggled at the blondes remark and shrugged. "Wish I did. Hey, do you have any clue where we can go?" Haruka sighed and shook her head. "Nope…you?" Michiru also declined, and Haruka stopped the car. The two women looked at each other for a while, but neither Haruka nor Michiru were thinking about a place to go. More likely, the two had the very same thought: _"And what would happen if I kiss her?" _Unfortunately, both women were to scared to make their thought reality, and so Haruka finally spoke: "No idea, huh? It has to be some deserted place, where they won't find us that easily…" Michiru nodded, in her mind still busy with imaging Haruka and herself kissing. "Maybe we should go up into the mountains." The aqua haired girl suggested as soon as she had managed to get those fantasies out of her head. Haruka considered this for a moment, then nodded. "Good idea. There aren't much people…and not much alcohol." She added, her voice darkening. Michiru didn't make a comment about the last part of the blondes sentence, and Haruka also stayed silent. "We have to get through the woods first…and I'm afraid we have to leave the car behind." The blonde finally spoke after a few moments of silence. Michiru agreed and nodded. "The cops know what it looks like, it's too dangerous. So, let's get everything we could need, and then walk, okay?" Haruka nodded, and the two women started to rummage through the car in search of needful things. 

"Inspector van Dyk? There's somebody who wants to talk to you." The inspector looked up from the protocol she was reading and found herself eye to eye with a young police officer. "Really? Send him in." the blonde woman mumbled before she returned her attention to the protocol. The officer nodded and left the room. Moments later, the door opened again, and a man dressed completely in black came marching in. A long scar ran from his temple down his cheek, and his eyes seemed colder than ice. "So we meet again, Inspector van Dyk." He now spoke, sitting down and looking at the blonde woman. "I can't say that I'm pleased about that fact, Kazuya." The inspector replied, lighting a cigarette. The man named Kazuya smirked and shrugged. "Actually, I don't really care if you're pleased to meet me, Inspector. I'm here for business." Inspector van Dyk blew a cloud of smoke into the man's face, giving him a cold look. "I don't make business with the Yakuza." She then informed him, her voice not all too friendly. "Why not? We could make you rich. Besides, we are after the same person, Inspector." Kazuya pulled a photo from his jacket and shoved it over the desk to the inspector, who accepted and had a look at it. "Haruka Tenoh." Kazuya spoke while van Dyk studied the photo. "Bank robber, killer, kidnapper. And we want her too." "Good for you." The inspector replied, in a pretty derisive tone. "Then see if you can find her. We can't." "Actually, I was more likely thinking that at first you find her, and then we'll kill her." Kazuya shot back, already expecting the inspector to agree. Instead, she laughed into his face. "Yeah right. Any other wishes you have? Maybe you also want the hostage, so your men can have a little fun with her. Dream on." "Of course we also would pay you for Tenoh's extradition into our hands." Kazuya now offered, but that angered the inspector even more. "Who do you think I am, some corrupt low-class officer? I don't want you filthy money, you piece of dirt, and now get out of my office before I lock you in." Kazuya shot an angered look at the blonde woman, rising from his chair. "Fine then. If you don't want to cooperate with us, it's your loss." He spat, his calm composure slipping for a second. Inspector van Dyk saved her breath and just glared at him. Kazuya huffed once more, then turned on his heels and marched out of the office, slamming the door behind him so hard that the glass shook in it's frame. "Fuck you." Inspector van Dyk mumbled, suppressing the sudden need of running after the Yakuza and kick his ass from here to next Sunday. She sighed before she returned her attention to the protocol, with a small part of her mind hoping that her men and she found Tenoh before the Yakuza did. After all, she knew what Yakuza people did to their captives, and she wanted to spare Haruka that pain. 


	9. When The Rain Begins To Fall

Chapter 8: When The Rain Begins To Fall

„You have everything you need?" Haruka asked, looking at her companion questioningly. Michiru nodded and smiled. "Good." Haruka smiled back before making a vague gesture over to the forest. "Let's get moving then…too bad that we have to leave the car behind." Michiru sighed and nodded, too. "Yeah…but the police now knows what it looks like. We have to make it through the woods first, and then we can look for a new one…you have your gun?" Haruka nodded and turned around, showing the gun she had shoved into the waistband of her jeans. Michiru looked at it and frowned. "Do you think it's good to keep it over your behind? Can you reach it fast enough there, in case we need it?" Haruka nodded and grinned. "Besides, if I have it over my behind, the jacket hangs over the handle and covers it. I don't want everybody to see the gun, it would only scare people unnecessarily." Michiru had to admit that this was a logic thought, and so she smiled and nodded. "Well, let's go then, shall we?" she suggested, and Haruka agreed. "Good idea. This way." She pointed to a small path that led deeper into the woods, and the two women started to walk, hoping that they would make it through the forest before the night came. 

"I can't walk on." Michiru panted three hours later, letting herself fall backwards until she sat on the dirty ground. "Hey, we have to move on." Haruka tried to motivate her, but thanks to the tiredness that sounded through her voice, it didn't help much. "I just can't." Michiru replied, and that was when Haruka realized that her companion was close to crying. "Hey…hey, don't cry." The blonde gently spoke, sitting down next to her friend. "If you can't walk on, it's alright. We'll just rest here, okay?" Michiru gave her a thankful look and nodded. Haruka leaned her back against the next tree she spotted and let out a sigh. "Man…who would have thought that those woods are so big?" Michiru moved over to her until the two women sat side to side and sighed, too. "I surely did not. Actually I was hoping that we would only walk for something like, one hour or so." Haruka chuckled and nodded. "I was hoping the same thing…well…it can't take us much longer anymore. I'm sure that we are almost…" The blonde trailed off when she felt a watery drop landing on her head. "Huh?" She looked up into the sky, and seconds later, all of a sudden masses upon masses of water came raining down on the two women. "Oh, come on!" Michiru cried out, frustrated. "Why does it have to rain now?!" Haruka cursed and practically tried to crawl into the tree she had been leaning against, intending to protect herself from the rain, with not much avail though. Then, the rumbling of thunder could be heard, and moments later, a bolt of lightning shot from the sky down to earth. Haruka jumped away from the tree as if somebody had bitten her and yelled at Michiru: "Get up! We have to get away from the trees, before lightning struck us!" Her hurting feet suddenly forgotten, Michiru jumped up, too, and seconds later, the two women were running through the woods, with Michiru behind Haruka, who was desperate to follow the path. All of a sudden, Michirus foot got caught in a thick root that had grown through the earthy ground, and she fell, hitting the dirt with a yelp of pain when her ankle got sprained. "Michiru!" Haruka called out, stopping dead in her tracks before she spun around and hurried back to her fallen companion. "What happened?" the blonde panted, with rain running from her hair over her face, soaking her. "I think I sprained my ankle…" Michiru groaned, in obvious pain. Without thinking long, Haruka turned her back to the aqua haired woman. "Hop on. I'll carry you." She offered. Michiru wanted to protest, then realized that she couldn't run on with her hurt ankle and did what Haruka had told her. She climbed onto the blondes back, who crossed her hands underneath the aqua haired girls butt to steady her and then started to run again. Soon, Haruka was panting, and the water that ran down her face mixed with sweat, but still, the blonde ran on. She could feel how the wound in her shoulder tore open again from the extreme strain, but simply ignored the pain and ran on, until the small path suddenly ended and the two women found themselves standing next to an asphalt street. "We're through." Michiru called out, happiness in her voice. Haruka nodded, her breath coming in short, heavy gasps, making it impossible for her to talk. Michiru slowly slid off the blondes back, ending up sitting on her butt once more when she lost her grip, groaning. Haruka sank to the ground next to her, trying to calm down her racing heart. Her legs felt as if they were made of rubber, and she was still panting like crazy. "Are you alright?" Michiru asked, worry in her voice. The blonde nodded, feeling how her racing heart slowed down again. "Yeah, I'm fine…don't worry." She brought out between a few heavy gasps for air. "Are you sure about that? I don't want you to collapse here." Michiru showed her concern, earning a weak smile from her friend. "I'll be fine…just give me a minute to recover. You're pretty heavy, you know?" Haruka teased her, causing the aqua haired girl to frown. "Seems like you're really feeling better already, seeing that you can make fun of me." Michiru pouted, causing Haruka to chuckle. "Aww, come on. I didn't mean to offend you." She then apologized. Michiru huffed and stuck her nose up. "I don't know if I can forgive that. You're breaking my heart, you know." She then spoke melodramatically, looking at Haruka. Their eyes met once more, and the sparks that suddenly flew through the air were not caused by lightning. And before Michiru or Haruka were thinking about what they were doing, their lips met in an at first soft, but soon more passionate kiss, while the rain still fell from the sky, wetting them. Finally, when they broke the kiss after what seemed like eternity, both women were a little out of breath. "I've wanted that ever since I saw you…" Haruka whispered, her voice hoarse with emotion. "God, I've wanted you more than anything…" "Shht." Michiru whispered back, silencing the blonde by putting one finger over her lips. "Don't ruin this moment with talking…just hold me." Haruka gratefully fulfilled the aqua haired girls wish, and while she held her tight, the chorus of an old song shot through her head, which perfectly fit the situation. 

_And when the rain begins to fall,_

_ I'll be your rainbow in the sky…_

_and_ I will catch you if you fall,__

_ you'll never have to ask me why._

"You're my rainbow in the sky." The blonde whispered into the aqua haired girls ear, earning a smile in return. The two women sat on the street for a long time, holding each other, while the rain continued to fall, but neither Haruka nor Michiru cared it about it. Not anymore, not after they finally found each other.

Copyright Note: "When The Rain Begins To Fall" is property of Universal Music and Jermaine Jackson & Pia Zadora. It's a great song, try to find it! And don't sue me, please ^_^! 


	10. Unexpected Help

Chapter 9: Unexpected Help

„Why isn't anyone driving around here?" Haruka mumbled, anger in her voice. Next to her, Michiru let out a sigh and shrugged. "I don't know…at least the rain stopped." The aqua haired girl then spoke, being as optimistic as ever. Haruka nodded, her mood still dark though. "Yeah, but if we don't get into some warm place soon, we'll both catch a cold." The blonde then mumbled while looking down her soaked clothes. Michiru sighed and agreed. "True. Let's just hope that…a car, a car!" she suddenly cried out, shocking Haruka with her outburst to no end. "God, I hate it when you do that." The blonde glared as soon as she had recovered from the screaming of her lover, earning a giggle. Haruka looked down the road that had been built next to the forest and had to see that Michiru had been right: the light of car headlights approached steadily. Slowly, Haruka stood up, checked if her gun was still stuck into her jeans, satisfied when she felt the cold steel handle, and looked down the road. "Let's just hope that this isn't some police car." The blonde then mumbled. The car kept approaching, and when it was close enough, Haruka held her thumb up, hoping that the driver would be dumb enough to stop. Indeed, the car came to a halt next to the two women, but when the window went down and Haruka could see who was inside, she was everything but happy. The driver of the car was the inspector who had tried to arrest her in the hotel.

Inspector van Dyk gaped at the blonde bank robber, who gaped back. "What are _you _doing here?" they finally both cried out in unison. Michiru moved closer to the car, and when she saw who drove it, her eyes nearly fell out. Haruka reached for her gun, but the inspectors voice stopped her. "You can leave your weapon back there, Tenoh-san. I won't arrest you." "Huh?" Haruka and Michiru both produced a not so intelligent noise, causing the inspector to grin. She pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lit one of them, then offered the pack to the two astonished women. "Want one?" Haruka thanked and took one of them, thanking the inspector when she gave her fire. "Why won't you arrest us?" Michiru now asked, frowning, thinking that this was some odd trap the inspector had thought up in the last moment. "Aw, you want me to tell you all of that here in the cold? Why don't you climb into the car, and we drive to the next bar?" the inspector suggested. Michiru just laughed at her. "You really think that we are dumb enough to climb into your car? So you can drive us to the police station, or what?" The inspector sighed and shook her head. "I told you, I won't arrest you. Now, get into the car before I change my mind and drive off." Haruka looked at her girlfriend, sighing. "We should climb in. She is alone, and I have my gun…if she tries anything, I'll simply shoot her." "You really know how to make friends." The inspector remarked in a pretty sarcastic tone before opened the  central locking of her car. "Now climb in." Both Haruka and Michiru got into the car, and the inspector drove off.

Two hours later, the three women sat in a cosy bar, the inspector – who had introduced herself as Cloud van Dyk - drinking beer while Haruka and Michiru both had ordered a glass of iced tea. "Now tell us why you actually want to help us." Michiru demanded between two sips of her drink. Inspector van Dyk leaned back in her chair and replied: "Today, a member of the Yakuza visited me in my office." She looked at Haruka, who suddenly had went pale. "He wants you, Tenoh-san. Actually, he wanted me to arrest you at first and then hand you over to them. He also offered to pay for you. You really pissed them off, didn't you?" Haruka nodded, her mouth to dry for speaking all of a sudden. She looked at the inspectors beer longingly, but Michiru kicked her underneath the desk and shot her a warning look that seemed to say "Don't even think about it." "Now you…you won't do that, right?" the blonde finally found herself able to ask, after swallowing hard a few times. "Of course not!" Inspector van Dyk replied, her eyebrows wandering upwards. "Why does everyone think that I'm corrupt?" "Because most policemen are." Michiru threw in. Inspector van Dyk let out a sigh. "Sad, but true. And I'm a policewoman, by the way. Anyway…I kicked the guy out, but there are a lot of low-class officers who are willing to betray the police and accept his offer. Right now, it's too dangerous for you to get arrested, Tenoh-san." "And that's why you won't arrest us?" Michiru asked, earning a nod from Cloud. "Exactly, Kaioh-san." The blonde inspector sighed and gave the couple a serious look. "I will have to arrest you sooner or later, Tenoh-san. But I'll make sure that it happens in a place where the Yakuza won't be." "What a very appealing thought." Haruka mumbled, staring down into her iced tea. Cloud gave her a lopsided grin. "Of course, if you are intelligent enough to avoid us long enough, some other crime will happen, and we'll loose our interest in you." Haruka looked up, saw the mischief glint in the inspectors eyes and chuckled. "You know, van Dyk-san…you're the first inspector I meet who isn't really keen on arresting people." "Oh, normally I am, otherwise I wouldn't be inspector." Cloud replied, also grinning. "I just don't like it to arrest people who are as gay as me." Michiru couldn't help herself, but had to burst out laughing at that statement. "Don't let your boss hear that!" she managed to press out between two giggle fits. "He'll fire you!" Cloud chuckled and nodded. "Probably. He's a stupid homophobe. Anyway…I guess the two of you need a car, huh?" Haruka nodded, and her eyes nearly fell out when Inspector van Dyk pulled out her car key and threw it over to her. "Take mine." "Are you crazy?! You need it!" Haruka shot back, but the inspector just shook her head. "The police gave it to me, they'll give me another one if I tell them that you stole it. Let's go outside." The three women rose form their chairs, Inspector van Dyk paid the drinks they had had, and they walked out. "I'm afraid that you'll have to knock me out now." She spoke as soon as they stood next to her car, sorrow in her voice. "God, I hate it to fall unconscious." She mumbled to herself before she looked at Haruka. "Come on, do it." Haruka sighed, then pulled out her gun. "Do I have to?" she asked, an unhappy tone in her voice. Cloud sighed and nodded. "I'm afraid you have. Otherwise, it won't seem real enough for the police to believe. Now come on, quick!" Haruka sighed once more, apologized to Cloud, then lashed out and brought the handle of the gun down on the blonde woman's head. Hard. Inspector van Dyk's eyes rolled backwards and she sank to the floor in a limp heap. "Sorry." Haruka mumbled once more. "And thanks for helping." Michiru added, pity in her voice. The two woman climbed into the car and drove off, leaving the knocked out inspector and the bar behind. 


	11. Run To The Hills

Chapter 10: Run To The Hills 

„It was very kind of Inspector van Dyk to give us her car, huh?" Michiru spoke while Haruka drove on the curvy street that led up to the hills. Haruka grinned and nodded, before her grin faded. "Though I feel pretty sorry for hitting her…the poor woman must have a huge migraine now." (In fact, Inspector van Dyk was currently sitting in her office in the police station and enjoyed the fact that one of the most sexiest nurses took care of her.) "She really surprised me." Michiru now spoke, looking at her lover with warmth in her eyes. "To me, it seemed as if she really wants to help us." Haruka nodded while she marvelled at the power of the BMW. "And she gave us a really cool car." The blonde added while stepping down on the gas pedal harder, causing the German motor to roar. Michiru was rummaging through the CD's the inspector had been keeping in her car. "She has to be a fan of Shakira." The aqua haired girl mumbled, looking at Haruka. "What makes you think that?" the blonde asked, who couldn't check what Michiru had found, since she had to look on the road. "Oh, maybe the fact that she has four albums of that woman in her car." Michiru replied, giggling. Haruka chuckled and spoke: "We must give them back to her sometime. She'll probably miss them." Michiru nodded before she continued her search for good music. When she found an Iron Maiden album, she frowned. "That woman really likes a lot. Look, Iron Maiden." "Cool!" Haruka called out. "Put it in!" Michiru agreed, and seconds later, "Two Minutes To Midnight" could be heard. "I love that song." (A/N: Me too! *goes off, humming the song*) Haruka mumbled while she searched through her pockets for the pack of cigarettes Inspector van Dyk had given her. Finally, she found the object of desire and lit one of them while driving on. "As soon as we reached the hills, where could we go?" Michiru asked, coughing when Haruka blew a cloud of smoke into her face. "I don't know. Maybe we can find an old hut or some deserted place where we can spend the night." The blonde then spoke, the cigarette that hung in the corner of her mouth bouncing up and down. Michiru giggled at that, earning an odd look from Haruka. "What's so funny, honey?" the blonde then asked. "Nothing." Michiru replied, while she reached out and gently rested her hand on the blondes upper leg. "I'm just…glad to be here with you." The aqua haired girl finally added. Haruka smiled at her and let go of the steering wheel with one hand to put it on the one of Michiru. "Me too." She spoke, her smile widening. The two women drove on in silence, while Iron Maiden thundered through the car, steadily approaching the hills.

Haruka let out a yawn and looked at the clock that was mounted to the armature board: two in the morning. "Shall I drive for a while?" Michiru now asked, causing Haruka to raise her eyebrows in surprise. "You know how to drive a car?" the blonde then asked. "Haruka! I have a driver's license!" Michiru replied, mock indignation in her voice. Haruka chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, would be cool…then I can sleep a little." The blonde stopped the car, switching places with Michiru. Slowly, the aqua haired girl started to drive on, while Haruka leaned back in the passenger's seat and closed her eyes. 

The blonde didn't know how long she had been sleeping when all of a sudden, Michiru screamed next to her, causing her to jerk out of her light slumber. "Michiru! What happened?" "The Yakuza!" Michiru cried out, while a loud thump could be heard and the car started to shake. Haruka looked out of the rear window and saw a black car driving up close behind the BMW – only to bump into it once more seconds later. "Damn!" the blonde cursed, pulling out her gun. She quickly pushed the button that opened the window on the passenger's side, then reached up with both hands, still holding the gun, and pulled herself out of the window until she sat on the door, holding on to the roof with one hand. "Haruka!" Michiru cried out. "What are you doing?" "Trust me!" Haruka shouted back while aiming her gun. She fired twice, and the front window of the Yakuza car vanished in a storm of splinters. The man who was sitting next to the driver suddenly sank forward, blood running from the hole in his throat where the second bullet had hit. Haruka fired three more times, and suddenly, dark clouds of smoke rose from the car hood. "Step on the gas!" Haruka screamed while she started to climb back into the car. "Quick! They're going to…" One last shot rang, and suddenly, Haruka yelled in pain, literally falling back into the car, holding her shoulder. Michiru screamed when she saw the dark red blood that seeped through her lover's fingers. "Haruka!" the aqua haired girl cried out, fear in her voice. "Don't…don't care about me." Haruka pressed out while her eyes filled with tears, caused by the pain she was in. "Drive faster…" Michiru did as her lover had told her and stepped down on the gas pedal hard, speeding away, while the Yakuza car exploded behind them, parts of metal flying everywhere. Michiru drove on with full speed for almost fifteen minutes, then she saw a big parking lot appearing in the distance. The aqua haired girl parked the BMW there, and when she looked at Haruka, her heart nearly stopped. The blonde hung in the passenger's seat, slumped against the door, her eyes closed, her shirt soaked with blood. And to Michiru, it seemed as if her lover had stopped to breathe. 

"Haruka! Oh my God, Haruka!" the aqua haired girl cried out, jumping out of the car and running over to the passenger's door. She opened it, and Haruka fell into her arms. "No." Michiru whispered. "No…I can't loose you, not now!" She leaned closer to her lover, tears filling her eyes, and that was when she noticed that Harukas chest was rising and falling slowly. "Thank God." Michiru whispered, cradling the unconscious blonde in her arms. She looked down on the two wounds the bullet had left behind; a small one where it had entered Harukas body, and a rather big one where it had left it again. Michiru looked around, desperate to find help for her lover, and her eyes fell on two lights in the distance. "A house." The aqua haired girl whispered to herself. Maybe somebody there knew what to do…slowly, Michiru draped Harukas arm around her shoulders and pulled her up, then started to walk towards the light, hoping that she would find help for her lover. 


	12. Finding Help

Chapter 11: Finding Help

One hour later, Michiru was close to crying. She had been dragging the wounded Haruka towards the light for more than sixty minutes now, and still the light seemed to be as far away as it had been when she had started to walk. The fact that Haruka  hung down on her side, still unconscious, didn't exactly help; more likely, it made it almost impossible for the aqua haired girl to walk on. Her strength had vanished in the last fifteen minutes, and she didn't know how long she could go on. Finally, the aqua haired girl decided to rest. She gently placed Haruka on the earthy ground and knelt down next to her, taking the blonde woman's hand into hers. "Hey." Michiru whispered, tears welling up in her eyes, "come on…wake up. Please…" Haruka didn't react; her chest kept rising and falling steadily, and the bleeding had stopped, but still she didn't wake up. "I can't go on." Michiru now sobbed, hiding her face in the taller woman's healthy shoulder. "Please, wake up…I can't loose you, not now…" Still, the blonde didn't show the slightest reaction; she didn't even stir. "Wake up, dammit!" Michiru suddenly shouted, all her fear, tiredness and worry breaking out of her in one huge outburst. "Please, Haruka, _wake up!" And suddenly, the blonde let out a small groan. Michiru stared at her, wide eyed, and her eyeballs nearly fell out of their sockets when Harukas eyelids started to flutter – before they sprang upwards and Haruka looked at her. "Mi…Michiru?" the blonde whispered, her voice weak and even huskier than usual. "What…what happened?" Michiru started to cry again, the tears running down her face like two small rivers. "The driver of the Yakuza car managed to shoot you before their vehicle exploded…oh God, I thought that you would die…" "Hey." Haruka whispered, managing to sit up with rather big effort. "I won't die. Not as long as you are with me." Michiru gave her a tiny smile through her tears and asked: "Promise?" Haruka smiled back, although the pain she was in clearly showed in her eyes, and replied: "Promise." Michiru let out a happy sigh and gently kissed the blonde, before she pointed at the light she had been approaching before. "I think that there is house where people can help us." She spoke, looking at Haruka. "Your wound needs to be at least cleaned…maybe we are lucky and a doctor lives up there, who can take real care of it." Haruka nodded, coming to her feet. She moaned in pain for a second, her hand flying up to her wounded shoulder, which brought her a worried look from her lover. "Are you sure that you can walk? If not, you can stay here and I'll run up there alone and get some help…" the aqua haired girl offered, but that suggestion didn't seem very appealing to the blonde. "No way!" she now protested, glaring at her girlfriend. "I won't let you run through the dark alone. Nobody knows if there are still Yakuza marching around here." Michiru frowned at her lover. "Haruka, darling, you wouldn't be able to do much to them anyway. You're hurt!" "Yeah, but I still have my gun." The blonde replied, patting the handle of her weapon, which was back to where it had been before the attack: in the waistband of her jeans. "Okay." Michiru finally agreed with a sigh, realizing that her girlfriend wouldn't allow her to go alone. Haruka gave her a toothy grin, and soon, the two woman were walking towards the light again. _

Ami Mizuno and her girlfriend Makoto Kino were sitting in their small house, enjoying dinner and the sitcom they were watching while eating when their peaceful evening suddenly got disturbed. A loud knock came from their front door, causing both women to look up. "Who could that be, at that time?" Makoto wondered out loud. Ami shrugged and stood up, walking out of the living room and over to the door. Upon opening it, she had to keep herself from letting out a shocked yelp. In front of their house, a young aqua haired woman stood, crying. She was holding an older blonde woman, who was obviously unconscious and bleeding from a wound in her shoulder. "My God…" Ami whispered, but before she could ask anything, the aqua haired woman started to stammer out words. "Help her, please…she broke down again…please, she needs help…" Ami stood still for a moment, then she yelled as loud as she could: _"Makoto!" _

Twenty minutes later, Haruka laid on a comfy couch in the living room while Makoto, Ami and Michiru sat at the dinner table and Michiru told them what had happened. "…and then we started to walk again, but suddenly, Haruka started to gasp for air…and before I had the chance to ask her what was wrong, she had broken down again." The aqua haired girl spoke softly, her eyes not living the surface of the desk. "Well…" Ami mumbled as soon as the aqua haired girl had stopped talking, "I am a doctor…but I can't help your lover as much as I want to. I don't have my utensils here…all I can do is clean the wound, stitch it up and bandage it, but if she really started to gasp, her lung's probably hurt. She should be taken to a hospital immediately." "We can't go to a hospital." Michiru replied, her eyes filling with tears again. "They would arrest her as soon as we walk through the front door..." "Michiru's right, Ami." Makoto agreed, looking at the aqua haired girl with sympathy in her eyes. "You should do what you can for Haruka…then we can think about what we do next." Ami finally nodded and agreed, after thinking about it for a while. "Okay. I'll get my utensils and take care of her wound…Michiru, maybe you should try to sleep a little. You look pretty exhausted." Michiru nodded, giving the two women a thankful look. "Thanks." She then whispered while Makoto rose from her chair. "No problem." The tall brunette replied. "Come on, I'll show you our guestroom. You can take a little nap there." The two left the room while Ami carefully undressed Harukas upper body and started to work on her wound. 

Five minutes later, Makoto returned into the living room. "She sleeps." The brunette informed her girlfriend, who nodded. "Good…you think we should call the police?" Makoto sighed and nodded. "I'm afraid we have to…" Ami nodded and let out a small sigh, too. "I really hate it to act in such a traitorous way…but Haruka needs a hospital as soon as possible. Otherwise, she'll die." Makoto went pale, but Ami didn't give any more explanations, and so the brunette went to the phone and called the police. From her position in the living room, Ami could hear every single word her girlfriend spoke. "Am I talking with Inspector van Dyk? … Good … yeah, I'm calling because of the bank robber you are after. She's here in our house. What…? No. Really? Oh, okay…" Makoto gave her address to the inspector, then hung up the phone and returned into the living room. "They'll be here as soon as possible." She quietly spoke before she looked down on Haruka. "I'm sorry." The brunette whispered, then turned around and left while Ami finished tending to their guests wound, her thoughts circling about what they had done all the time.  


	13. Perfect World

Chapter 12: Perfect World

„This is the police speaking! Haruka Tenoh, we know that you are in there!" the loud, metallic voice  tore Michiru out of her sweet dreams, and she sat up in her bed, wide-eyed. "I repeat!" the voice now came again, causing the aqua haired girl to jump out of the bed and hurry over to the window. On the rather big meadow that laid in front of Ami and Makoto's house, five police cars stood, almost one hundred meters away from the house. Inspector van Dyk stood in front of her car, speaking into a megaphone. "Let your hostages go!" the blonde woman now demanded. Michiru hurried into the living room, where Ami and Makoto sat, both looking a little pale. And guilty. "You called the police?" the aqua haired girl cried out, disbelief in her voice. "Why?" No one of the two women replied; instead, Harukas voice spoke up. "Don't blame them, Michiru." Michiru flinched at the unexpected sound of her lover talking and looked over to the couch, where Haruka now sat, her shoulder bandaged. "They did the right thing." The blonde now added before she coughed, blood speckling her lips. "Haruka…" Michiru whispered, hurrying over to her lover and taking the blondes hands into hers. "I need a hospital." Haruka now added, wiping the blood she had coughed out off. "But they'll lock you in!" Michiru cried out, her eyes filling with tears. "They'll send you to prison…" Haruka nodded, but for some reason, she smiled while she did. "That's true. But I'll always be there for you, no matter what." Michiru hid her face in the taller woman's healthy shoulder, and Haruka put both arms around her. "Don't cry." She whispered into the aqua haired girls ear. "Don't cry, Michiru…" The blonde held her lover for almost twenty minutes, then she let go of her again. "We should go outside now. Bring to this an end." The blonde spoke, earning a sob from Michiru. "Come on." Finally, the aqua haired girl came to her feet, and together with Haruka, walked over to the front door. Ami and Makoto had been watching all of this with mixed emotions, and now they stood up and followed the two women. "You should go first." Haruka spoke, looking at them. They nodded and left the house, walking over to the police, where they were greeted warmly. "Michiru…you have to go next." The blonde softly spoke as soon as Ami and Makoto had reached the police people, looking down on her girlfriend. "I love you, Haruka." Michiru whispered in reply. The couple gently kissed, then Michiru walked out of the door. Haruka waited one second, then she followed her. 

"Here she is." The sniper who knelt next to Inspector van Dyk mumbled. He readied his gun and aimed, keeping Harukas chest in the telescope of his gun. "You won't shoot unless I tell you to." Inspector van Dyk warned the man, earning a nod in reply. She raised her goggles and looked at the two women who came walking out of the house, Haruka shortly after Michiru. 

Haruka just started to walk towards the police cars when she remembered her gun. And then, under the negative influence of pain and blood loss, the blonde made the biggest mistake in her entire life. "Michiru!" she called out, already reaching backwards to where she kept her weapon. Michiru stopped and turned around to look at her. Haruka pulled her gun out. "Here, you should take it. I…"

"She'll kill her!" the sniper yelled out, and before anyone else reacted, he had fired. _"NO!" _Inspector van Dyk yelled out, suddenly grabbing the man. She yanked him upwards, and her knee connected with the man's crotch as hard as possible. "You bastard!" the inspector shouted, letting go of the whimpering man and looking over to where Haruka and Michiru had been when the sniper had shot. 

"Here, you should take it. I…" A shot rang, and suddenly, Haruka stopped talking in mid-sentence. Michiru didn't know what had happened, and it took her a while to realize. Haruka stared down to her chest, where a small hole had appeared all of a sudden. "Haruka?" Michiru asked worried, taking one step closer to her lover. The gun Haruka had been holding slid from her suddenly numb fingers and hit the ground; and all of a sudden, a thin stream of blood ran from the hole in her chest. "My…God…" Haruka whispered before her knees gave in underneath her, and she fell, landing on her back. _"Haruka!"__ Michiru cried out, kneeling next to her fallen lover's side within the next second. "Haruka, no!" Haruka looked at her lover, giving her a weak smile. "Shot twice…within…24 hours." The blonde whispered, blood running from the corner of her mouth. "Seems…like today's…not my day." "Stop talking." Michiru sobbed, while Harukas searching hand found hers and held it. "You'll be alright…they'll take you to the hospital, and you'll be alright…" the aqua haired girl cried. Haruka just shook her head. "Too late." She whispered, squeezing her lovers hand. "It's over…" "No." Michiru sobbed, denying what she already knew deep inside. "No…you promised you wouldn't die…you promised…" "I'm sorry." Haruka whispered, the stream blood that ran from her mouth increasing. "Michiru…" the aqua haired girl looked at her lover, suddenly knowing that this was the last time Haruka would speak to her. "You…you made me feel like…like…" the blonde stopped talking and coughed, a terrible mass of blood splashing from her lips while she did. "Like…I'm living…in a perfect world." Haruka finally managed to finish her sentence. "You made my life perfect…I love you." "I love you too." Michiru whispered back, gently stroking her dying lovers face…and finally accepting the truth. "I'll always be with you." Haruka added, smiling weakly. "Remember…you'll never be alone." Michiru smiled back, with hot, salty tears running down her face. "I'll remember, Haruka…I'll remember you forever." She bent over her fallen lover, their lips meeting in one last, gentle kiss. Then, Haruka let out a shaky breath and, after a last loving look at her lovers face,  closed her eyes. Forever._


	14. Always At Your Side

Epilogue: Always At Your Side

"Kaioh-san?" Michiru looked up from the marble gravestone at the voice that came from her right, only to find herself looking at Inspector van Dyk. "I wanted to apologize to you once more." The police woman now spoke, her voice full of grief. "You already did twice." Michiru replied, her voice not unfriendly. "I know." Cloud replied, her eyes glued to the gravestone, which read 

_Haruka Tenoh _

_1975 – 2003_

_Forever In Our Hearts_

"But I also know that you loved her…and there are not enough words for me to say to help you with your grief." Michiru gently smiled at the tall blonde. "You don't have to help me, van Dyk-san." She looked back at the gravestone, her eyes full of love and warmth. "She's always with me, you know." Inspector van Dyk gave her a short glance, then smiled. "You're right. She was your true love…and true love never leaves." Michiru nodded and gently placed the white roses she had brought on the grave before she looked at the inspector again. "Let's go." She softly spoke, and the tall blonde nodded. Together, they left the graveyard, walking over to where Inspector van Dyk had parked her car. "If you want to, you can drive with me." The blonde offered as soon as the stood next to it, but Michiru declined. "Thanks, but I'm going into the other direction." Inspector van Dyk nodded, got into her car and drove off, while Michiru started to wander away. After a short walk of not even twenty minutes, the aqua haired girl reached at the place that she wanted to become the last thing she would see. Looking up into the sky, the aqua haired girl whispered: "Haruka…I know you said you'll always be with me…but that's not enough. I can't take it anymore…" Slowly, the aqua haired girl walked closer to the cliffs, looking down to the wild sea below. She took in a deep breath, preparing herself to jump, when suddenly Harukas voice came. "Don't." Michiru could feel how her hands started to shake while she slowly turned around. Only five meters away, Haruka stood leaning against a tree, her trademark lopsided smile on her handsome face. "Haruka…" Michiru whispered, her eyes widening. "How…how can it be…" The blonde simply ignored this question and spoke on. "Don't end your life. It's not your destiny to die now." The blonde moved away from the tree and over to Michiru, to whom it seemed as if her lover's feet wouldn't touch the ground during her walk. _Not at all._ "I meant it when I said that I'll always be with you." The blonde now continued, still with that lopsided smile. "I'm always at your side, Michiru. Don't give up now, Love. Go on with your life…your time will come, but not now." Slowly, Michiru nodded, her eyes filling with tears once more. "I'm so lonely without you." The aqua haired girl sobbed. "We'll be together again." Haruka promised, already fading away. "Promise." She added while Michiru started to panic. "Don't go, Haruka! You have to stay…" the aqua haired girl cried out, her tears running freely now. She slowly sank to her knees when Haruka vanished, two small rivers of tears running down her face. "Don't go…" she whispered, knowing that it was too late. Haruka was gone, and she had to go on with her life. "How could I simply go on, if the one I love is dead…" Michiru whispered, clenching her fists. "How?" she cried out, looking up into the sky once more. "How, for Heaven's Sake?" Her eyes came down again, and suddenly she spotted a metallic glint in the grass, exactly where Haruka had been standing before. Slowly, the aqua haired girl moved over to it, still on her knees, and picked the glinting object up. It turned out to be a thin golden necklace, with a small cross attached to it. Michiru turned it around, and when she read the name that was engraved in the back of it, she knew that Haruka had told the truth when she had said that she always would be at her side. Written in italic letters, the name "Haruka" shone from the cross. Slowly, Michiru put the piece of jewellery on, finally able to smile again. Her tears dried, and she came to her feet again. "Thanks." The aqua haired girl whispered. "We'll be together again, Haruka…but I'll go on with my life, like I'm supposed to." Slowly, the aqua haired girl walked away from the place that almost had caused her death, now knowing that she never would be alone. The golden cross Haruka had owned glinted in the last light of sunset…until Michiru carefully took it and made it slide underneath her blouse, carrying the jewellery right over her heart. Her heart which had been broken, but now was healed again…and where Haruka would live forever. 

The End.


End file.
